Chapter 136: A Married Woman

How could she not be tired? Even now, the mere thought of last night’s events was enough to make Wen Jiu’s face flush with heat.

Afraid to move, Wen Jiu simply sat obediently in her chair, watching Gu Zehuai. Today was technically the second day of their new marriage, but Wen Jiu felt no difference; this was simply how they had always been together. Yesterday was Saturday, and they still had one more day of rest.

After lunch, Gu Zehuai took Wen Jiu to look at a few villas. Once Wen Jiu selected the location she liked, Gu Zehuai bought it on the spot. That evening, the two returned to the Wen family residence. Gu Zehuai’s transition to addressing her parents felt natural; he had already begun calling them Mom and Dad.

At night, as Gu Zehuai held Wen Jiu in his arms, he sighed with emotion, "Jiu Jiu, this is the first time I’ve stayed in this room with you. I finally have a legitimate status." This was Jiu Jiu’s room, a place that held all her memories from childhood to adulthood. Wen Jiu found it quite magical, too; there was something undeniably different about falling asleep in someone’s arms.

***

After a busy week, the weekend arrived once more. Most of the arrangements for the wedding venue were handled by Gu Zehuai and his mother; Wen Jiu only needed to provide suggestions for the staff to implement, so she wasn't particularly overwhelmed.

That weekend, Shen Mengxia reached out to Wen Jiu: "Jiu Jiu, do you want to go out and have some fun?"

Wen Jiu agreed immediately. It was time to properly relax.

After meeting up with Shen Mengxia, the two wandered around, exploring various shops. Looking at Wen Jiu, Shen Mengxia asked curiously, "Jiu Jiu, has anything changed since you got married? I feel like my memory is still stuck back in high school when we used to hang out. Time flies so fast."

Wen Jiu thought about it. It didn’t seem like anything had changed; her interactions with the Gu family were just as they had always been, perhaps even closer and warmer.

As Wen Jiu shared this, Shen Mengxia suddenly thought of herself and sighed. "Sigh, is marriage really that good? Just hearing about it makes me a little scared. I’m afraid of difficult mother-in-law relationships, and I’m afraid of having children."

Hearing this, Wen Jiu realized she hadn't given those issues much thought. She recalled visiting the Gu family’s old estate a few days ago, where she had momentarily fumbled her address for Gu Zehuai’s mother. The older woman had laughed and corrected her gently, and the atmosphere of the entire household had been harmonious. There were no conflicts with her mother-in-law, and Wen Jiu believed there never would be. As for having children, she and Gu Zehuai always took precautions; they had no plans for that at the moment, and since neither family had pressured them, Wen Jiu had subconsciously ignored the topic.

Wen Jiu comforted her friend. "Xiaxia, I had no idea you were so afraid of marriage and childbirth."

Shen Mengxia replied honestly, "It was only when Ye Chen asked me about my attitude toward marriage that I started thinking about these things."

Feeling that she should stand by her friend, Wen Jiu reassured her, "Xiaxia, if you don't feel ready, don't force yourself. You should communicate with Senior Ye and tell him how you feel."

Shen Mengxia took this to heart and nodded.

Wen Jiu then told her about the comment Yu Keyan had left her and their shopping trip together last year. Shen Mengxia could sense the change in Yu Keyan as well, and an idea struck her. "Why don't we see if she’s free and invite her out now?"

Shen Mengxia’s thoughts aligned with Wen Jiu’s. They both knew that while Yu Keyan had a sharp tongue, she had no malicious intent; she was just a bit of a tsundere princess.

Wen Jiu sent a direct message to Yu Keyan: "Keyan, are you free now? Do you want to come hang out with Xiaxia and me?"

Yu Keyan replied in seconds: "Yes, please!"

Wen Jiu smiled and sent over their location. Yu Keyan arrived quickly, though she felt a bit awkward upon seeing them, unsure of what to say. Wen Jiu took the initiative to lighten the mood, pulling them both along to go shopping.

As they walked and talked, the conversation began to flow more easily. Wen Jiu and Shen Mengxia made a conscious effort to include Yu Keyan in the conversation so she wouldn't feel left out. Yu Keyan, who possessed a lively personality, also knew how to initiate topics, and the three of them soon grew comfortable with one another. It was only then that Yu Keyan realized how childish her past actions and words toward Wen Jiu had been.

In the evening, Yu Keyan insisted on treating them to dinner, and the two accepted. They figured they could return the favor when they went out together in the future.

While they were eating, a message from Gu Zehuai popped up: "Jiu Jiu, where are you?"

Wen Jiu realized she had forgotten to tell him she was out for dinner. After explaining the situation and spending a good while coaxing him, she finally put her phone down.

Yu Keyan and Shen Mengxia watched her, both thinking simultaneously: "Is this what it’s like to be a married woman?"